Child Soldiers: If Not Prosecution, Then What?

Child Soldiers Ishmael Beah once said “My squad is my family, my gun is my provider, and protector, and my rule is to kill or be killed”(Beah 116). Most children live a normal and happy life, but not all children live that way. Some children hold baseball bats while others hold guns larger than they are; some children dodge dodgeballs, others dodge bullets. Most children go home to see their parents or guardians, child soldiers often go “home” to their squads and Lieutenants. Child soldiers can be rehabilitated if civilians and officials aren’t indifferent .

First off, child soldiers are held against their will to do dangerous tasks that they have no say in. In an article interviewing Ishmael Beah, a former child soldier, he states, "Somebody being shot in front of you, or you yourself shooting somebody became just like drinking a glass of water. Children who refused to fight, kill or showed any weakness were ruthlessly dealt with.”

Recently, two million children have died over the past ten years due to becoming a child soldier. A huge deplorable development that has extended recently is the increase of child soldiers. Children are constantly being used as soldiers for various reasons. In some countries, there are more child soldiers than they are adults because children are more compliant. Children have been exploited as soldiers because they are being recruited to do a violent action, it is difficult for them to, later on, assimilate back to their lives, and child soldiers are regularly used in developing countries.

These Children are being exploited from their families and then taking into custody. Human service reports that children are being brutally recruitment, by being taken away and often being harassed by older people. This is a society impact, this is a big problem, for the global impact, which can work together to reintegrate, child soldiers back to society to make them, a productive individuals. All around the world every child has dream of going to school and learning about everything, but in some states that's not the case they are compelled to become instruments of war kill, and to be killed. Child soldiers are being forced to give violent expression towards adults, they are often thought that adults are the main enemy and they are always thought that they are alone in this

Although some may argue that child soldiers should be given amnesty and not be punished for their crimes they are wrong. For example, they had a decision and many chances to not commit crimes, but most child soldiers decided to keep on living and kill their families. In the article, “Child Soldiers: Victims or Perpetrators”, they discuss that child soldiers join because they get tricked. As it states, “Children are forced by commanders through false promises, drugs and things which you can’t even imagine, to kill innocent civilians, other children and even their own families.” This shows kids could’ve denied being a soldier but they easily fall for trick to join then they decide to kill their families because they get told to do so.

Many children in America do not consider the problem of child soldiers happening around the world today as an issue, and many do not even think about it. Child Soldiers are a continuous problem that should be stopped instantly. Child Soldiers are innocent children who are forced into armed forces and non- state armed groups. Today, there are approximately 300,000 child soldiers in war, and 40% of armed forces are using these children as soldiers. These children are helpless and have little to no choice to go into war and leave their family behind.

For several years the use of children are being used in both civil and state wars. Over 300,000 children are being used and hundreds of thousands are being sent to war in 36 different armed conflicts global (Children of war). These children are as young as 8 years old they have committed some of the most violent acts of crime such as rape, mutilation and mass murders of innocent civilians but some of this children are forced and drugged but also some have volunteered so real questions is should the Child Solders be prosecuted for their crime or can they be rehabilitated?

The thought of a child behind bars for war crimes is atrocious. People may see it as justified though. Those people see it as fair to have a child that was manipulated and drugged into fighting be faced with the crimes they had contributed to. On one side of the argument, child soldiers should not be granted amnesty because most are fully aware of what their doing when enlisting. On the other side, child soldiers should be granted amnesty. More often than not children have no say in whether they enlist or not and once recruited the children become brainwashed from the usage of drugs and alcohol. Systematic drug taking is especially reported among West African-based militia movements. In fact, some authors consider hallucinatory drug intake

All around the world there are nearly 300,000 child soldiers. Should they all be prosecuted as criminals, or given the chance to change in rehab facilities? This is a very touchy topic for many people, as they may have been personally affected by child soldiers involved in violent conflicts all over the world. There are many ways the children could get into these awful wars. They could be forced into it via poverty, loss of parents, loss of home, or they join the army on their own accord, believing that they are helping the rebel cause. Child soldiers are becoming more and more common in poverty or war stricken countries. Should these children be prosecuted for doing things they have no interest in doing or be treated as victims and be allowed

An article titled, Should Child Soldiers be Prosecuted for Their Crimes, helps to prove this point:“If a child under the age of 15 is considered too young to fight, then he or she must also be considered too young to be held criminally responsible for serious violations of IHL while associated with armed forces or armed groups.” This quote clarifies that if a child is considered too young to be in the army, then he must also be considered too young to be held criminally responsible for any actions that they committed while in the army. This is completely fair when looked at it this point of view: Ordinary children were taken away from their homes and were forced to either kill or be killed. The children who decided to live had to go through abusive training and had to witnessed the multiple deaths of the people who they were close to. They lost all of their trust for other people.

In the article, Should child soldiers be prosecuted for their crimes?, it says, “If a child under the age of 15 is considered too young to fight, then he or she must also be considered too young to be held criminally responsible for serious violations of IHL while associated with armed forces or armed groups.” This shows that children are to young to fight so they are also too young to be punished. Also, when children are to young and fighting, they don’t have their parents to help them make good choices. The kids know nothing better but to fight for people that they think are doing the right thing.

Are you aware that right now, at this very moment, there is a group of young boys ages 8-13 who are clenching a gun being ordered to kill against their will? It’s understood that others opinions about the dangers of child soldiers being free are only because they don’t want to risk anything but, isn’t life all about taking risks? You risk your life leaving the house, and breathing. Also, countries should not prosecute child soldiers for the crimes they committed during wartime. There also should not be an international minimum age of criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Here are three reasons why they should not be prosecuted or held responsible. Also that there should not be an age limit. One. Children are afraid, young, and clueless. Two. Children are 99.99% of the time drugged, forced, and brainwashed. “Children are often brainwashed and drugged before they are forced to fight. Their vulnerability can allow warlords to make them into cold-blooded killers” (O'Neill 1 ). Three. Children are independent, lonesome, and they want/need a family. One that gives them love.

These kids are truly in danger and need to be given amnesty. It says in the article Should Child Soldiers be Prosecuted for Their War Crimes?, that “Child soldiers are not morally responsible for their actions, children are often forced into fighting and have little choice over whether or not they enlist. After that, they are following orders of adults rather than acting of their own free will. The recruiters of child soldiers also use drugs and alcohol to make children more compliant and to enable them to commit acts they would not ordinarily commit. Child soldiers should therefore not be held responsible for actions they were forced to commit and had little understanding of.”.

For some of the people in the world you might think that child soldiers are criminals I think different. Why I think different is that they are not criminals they are victims not criminals. I will give you five reasons and these are kids getting brainwashed,kicked off sports,clearing minefields, parents selling them and resist going to help in the wars. The first most important reason from the article “Armed and Underage” is when they get brainwashed.

I am against child soldiers being prosecuted. My conclusion has been standing for a while now. Think back to when children are fighting on the front lines hearing guns shoot back and forth, falling to their knees in pain, and they didn't even have a choice. Children should not be prosecuted for a dirty deed planned by someone else, and forced upon the child by someone else, we should only prosecute the “someone else”; not the innocent child behind the master